Weavings of The Pattern
by asha'man mic
Summary: The story of a lone Aes Sedai on her quest for acceptance, adventure, and a Warder.


Weavings of the Pattern  
  
By: Michael Worrell  
  
The following is a short story based upon the world created by Robert Jordan in The Wheel of Time. I dedicate this story to my eternal flame and the light of my life, Sammi Condo, who is my inspiration and the source of my imagination.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Snow de'Heron, Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah departed the White Tower in haste on a brisk winter morning, also happening to be the first snow of the year. Fitting, she thought; For her name implied a sense of graceful beauty that snow always provided, which was a wonderful irony in contrast to her mission. Two weeks earlier, right after Snow was raised to Aes Sedai, the Green Ajah heard of a ter'angreal that could be used to detect a man's channeling. The information had come through the Green Ajah's network of eyes and ears and was considered to be from a somewhat reliable innkeeper in Tear. Because of the nature of the ter'angreal described, it was put fairly high up on the Ajah's list of priorities. Many lost since the Breaking, ter'angreal were being sought after with a frenzy, and it did make sense that one could be found in Tear. Everyone knew about the stockpile of One Power related items that Tarien High Lords were collecting in hopes of keeping attention away from Callandor, deep inside the Heart of the Stone. This particular ter'angreal was supposedly usable by anyone, male or female, Aes Sedai or no. Which made it a possible threat if found by agents of the Shadow. But more importantly, it could be used by the White Tower to help stomp out men channeling the One Power. The world would not survive another Breaking. Snow had heard of the mission to Tear the night after she was raised to the shawl and had immediately requested it. She was headstrong and had a certain need to prove to herself that she was truly Aes Sedai. Not a particularly tall or physically strong woman, she could easily hide in a crowd if not for the Aes Sedai agelessness her face had begun to take on. At the age of 33, and having the use of the One Power since she was 14, Snow's face was almost completely through with the transformation all Aes Sedai went through. And although she had taken on an ageless face, she still held the beauty of her youth, and anyone who looked closely would soon realize that she would never lose it; Even after all the hair on her head was gray. Snow had spectacular black curly hair with dark eyes and a rosebud smile. She was really quite beautiful, but she tended to stray from men. She was a Green without a Warder, and that was simply unheard of. The head of the Green Ajah had given her permission to take the mission in hopes that she would find a Warder during her travels. Many Aes Sedai who could not find a Warder they got on with tended to do so while outside the confines of Tar Valon. The mission was a simple one: Find the inn at which the innkeeper was holding the ter'angreal for the Greens and take it back to the White Tower for study. There were some disturbing questions surrounding the nature of the ter'angreal and how it was discovered, but Snow de'Heron was strong in the Power and certainly not considered a dummy. In fact, she had almost landed herself in hot water while outwitting the Amrylin Seat as an Accepted. But that was the past and Snow wanted to keep her mind firmly on the weeks to come. It would take at least a month to reach Tear in this weather, and a month to return. Of course there was no telling how long it would take to find the right inn, although she had been given a good description of where it would be found. So she was off, on her first mission as an Aes Sedai, with fifty gold crowns in her purse, and only a faint idea of the world. Not a spectacular beginning for a woman who would become an Aes Sedai of Legend, but it was a beginning.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Mikhael Hanlon was a wanderer, quite simply. A respectable man, mind, but never above gambling and pinching serving girls in taverns. He had no real home to speak of, living where he could when he could and traveling the world one country at a time. He had been born in the Aiel Waste, and had begun his life as an Aielman, but when his family was murdered by marauders he had done something forbidden by the Aiel way. He had taken up a sword against three strong men more than twice his age and he had killed them. For that, Mikhael was banished from the Aiel peoples at only eight years old. Traveling the world, he had raised himself and taught himself. He was a hard man who seemed to smile only while drunk and curled up with a likely wench. He was particularly tall and stood out in a crowd, especially with his light hair. Much to his advantage, he had uncharacteristic dark eyes and was never guessed to be an Aielman. Everyone knew the savage Aiel had light eyes to match their height and strength. During his lifelong exile, Mikhael had learned the sword on his own. He carried the same sword he had raised in revenge so many years ago, for it was a Heron mark blade, the mark of a blademaster. Over time, Mikhael had actually earned enough skill and experience to be worthy of the Heron. He was flowing death to the unsuspecting cutpurse or darkfriend. Mikhael had fought shadowspawn only once, and had a beautiful scar on his left hip to show for it. He was proud of that scar, and hoped he would have the chance to kill a Mydraal again. Mikhael could use any weapon ever made but he refused to touch a spear in a perverse reversal of the Aiel ways. He wanted nothing to do with the Aiel, for he no longer considered himself an Aielman and avoided them at all costs. So he wandered the world in search of adventure and what fun a man like himself could find. However, he had a bad habit of finding trouble. Usually in the form of a woman. Mikhael had been known to get quite serious when it came to a man hurting a woman or forcing himself upon her. When Mikhael was staying in a city he had been to before, word got around quickly and anyone who had even been rumored to have hurt a woman got themselves away from the city quickly. Mikhael had a fine temper that when combined with his sword, no man could stand against him and live to tell the tale. Although he was not the most reputable character, he was respected by guardsmen and soldiers, if only for the simple fact he made their job of keeping the cities safe that much easier. He earned his gold in many different ways, but most of the time Mikhael was content working in a blacksmiths shop. He enjoyed forging metals and making useful tools; And weapons. The long wicked knife that hung from his belt was made from iron he had found himself and forged into steel. The same for his engraved axe and arrowheads. All together, Mikhael was the sort of man that saw nothing as impossible. His life made thinking that impossible. Currently traveling through a forested area on his way to Tear, Mikhael was busy skinning a deer he had hunted down. Snow was falling from the sky in a liberal amount and it was getting very cold, even with the blazing campfire he had going. Mikhael had been reluctant to set out this close to winter and now he regretted it strongly. He could dig a snow hut after enough had fallen and frozen over, but until then he would be forced to try to keep the fire going until morning. The stew pot hanging above the fire was bubbling away with the sweet scent of deer meat while Mikhael's horse, West, stood as close to the fire as possible without singing his mane. Sometimes West had an almost human attitude, and the big brown gelding had been Mikhael's only constant friend over the last sixteen years. It was West, in fact, who first warned Mikhael of an approaching visitor to their campfire. A visitor who would change the course of their lives forever.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Trudging her black stallion through the falling snow, Snow was becoming rather impatient. She could no longer even see the road beneath her and was surrounded by thick forest on both sides. It was dark, cold, and Aes Sedai or no she was spooked. It was her first time out of the White City of Tar Valon and she was alone in a strange land. Wind, her stallion, was becoming impatient as well. The poor animal was tired and Snow didn't dare use the Power to heal her weariness again. If she did, Wind might collapse without showing any sign of exhaustion. It was in this situation that the Trollocs struck. A dozen of the contorted and deformed creatures jumped from underneath the snow and ran after her and Wind. She mentally berated herself for not sensing the creatures. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with the darkness and weather, she would have felt them before she even came close to them. Too late for that now. Trollocs were considered to be basically foot soldiers of the Dark One, created by Aginor, one of the Forsaken now sealed in Shayol Ghul with the Dark One. They were a mixture of humans and animals that produced a frightening creature, to say the least. Many stood twice as tall as a man with the width and strength to match. Some had hooved or pawed feet, with beaks or snouts where their mouths should be, and some looked almost human. They came from all sides, swinging axes, scythes, and shooting arrows the size of spears. Without thinking, Snow opened herself up to the light of saidar, the female half of the True Source, the One Power. She embraced the source and wove threads of Fire, slinging fireballs from her hands as quickly as she could weave them. Snow yelled and shouted while she threw fireballs at the Trollocs. It helped her concentrate in an odd way. Wind kicked and bucked in a furious way, but the big stallion held it's ground against the onslaught of evil beasts. Within seconds, Snow had killed all of the Trollocs; Not one even so much as twitched. A particularly unfortunant Trolloc had gotten a fireball in the face, blackening out it's eyesockets and leaving an acrid stench in the air. That was when the Fade appeared.  
  
* * * *  
  
While Mikhael was leaning over his cookpot to stir the precious stew, West began to rear up and whinny, pulling against the tree he was tied to. Mikhael stopped dead in his tracks and listened carefully. He heard a woman shouting from the north, and mingled with her shouts were Trolloc war cries. Without wasting a second, Mikhael leaped into West's saddle, slicing the ropes holding him to the tree with one swipe of his knife. West charged towards the sounds, and Mikhael let him, heedless of the deepening snow. Horses could break legs doing such things, and sometimes break a man's neck in the process, but this was far too important to Mikhael for that to be a concern. As he rode West towards what should have been the Tar Valon road, he saw flashes of light and the sounds became louder, until there was no other sound except West galloping for the road. Suddenly, they broke through the treeline only to find a woman standing alone against a Mydraal. Also known as Fades, the Mydraal eyeless gaze and maggot white face was enough to drive fear into the heart of even the bravest man, and this woman stood before it, alone. Remarkable. The sound of hooves forced the Mydraal to turn it's gaze from the woman and toward Mikhael. He lept from West's saddle with a ferocity that only an Aielman or Shienaran would be able to muster against a Fade. Time stretched out as Mikhael's Heron mark blade met Thakan'dar forged steel, black as night and deadly to the touch. Then, they danced.  
  
* * * *  
  
Snow was shocked to see the tall man appear from nowhere and leap to her assistance, but not as shocked as she was to find yet another Fade waiting behind her. If not for her saidar enhanced hearing, she would never have known it was coming. Holding saidar, she knew life in a way that made life without the Power seem dull and drab. She could hear, see, taste, touch, and smell far more with saidar running through her. She wove Fire again, but this time it was mingled with Earth, and she let loose a bar of flame a pace in diameter. It caught the second Mydraal full in the chest, before it could even raise it's sword. The half-man fell to the ground, it's black hooded cloak incinerated. Snow turned again, ready to kill again, but the strange man that had come to her aid seemed to be holding his own. In fact, he was doing more than that, he actually seemed capable of killing the Mydraal. It's black cloak did not even rustle in the wind as they fought, no, danced in the pale moonlight. Sword met sword and they danced to death's tune with a grace few had the dexterity of mind to recognize. The man flowed from one stance to the next, with his sword seeming an extension of his arm. Snow kept looking for an opening, but she couldn't kill the Fade without killing the man as well. It was alright though, a surprise flick of the wrist brought a long knife into the Mydraal's throat, and a quick thrust reversal of his sword left it headless. The black clothed figure lay writhing on the ground as the tall man bent to wipe his sword. Mydraal always took a long time to admit they were dead.  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Mikhael stood from wiping his sword to silently gaze upon the Aes Sedai. She could be nothing else, with her channeling and ageless face, visible even in the faint light the moon provided. She chose to speak first. "I must thank you master swordsman, but I would have been fine on my own. I needed no assistance." Her voice was cold as ice. Yes, Aes Sedai right down to her toenails. Mikhael burst out laughing. Of course, save a woman's life and expect thanks? Ha! Better to hope you can stop the sun from setting, he thought to himself. His laughter seemed to have no effect upon her Aes Sedai calm, so Mikhael continued to laugh until he could find his voice again. "Well m'lady, perhaps Aes Sedai need no help against the Shadow, but maybe they need some protection from the cold?", He said questioningly. "You are welcome to my campfire, if you so choose. But I am tired now, and if the Light wills it so, I am going to get some sleep before the morning." With that, he turned towards West and hopped into the saddle. It took Snow a moment to realize he was waiting for her, so she quickly decided that a warm fire would be much preferable to spending the night alone. She mounted Wind and said, "I accept your offer, and thank you. My name is Snow de'Heron Aes Sedai. Will you tell me yours?" Mikhael took a moment in responding, analyzing the young Aes Sedai. Well, at least he was guessing she was young, there was no real way to tell without asking and that would have been quite rude. "Mikhael Hanlon, m'lady. That's my name. Shall we go? I believe enough snow has fallen that I can dig a snow hut." Snow Sedai nodded in assent, and they rode off into the trees, with Mikhael leading the way. She used the time it took to get to his camp to analyze the young man. Clean shaven, with light hair and dark eyes, she would almost have thought him Aiel. But Aiel would die before they would touch a sword. She noticed an axe also hanging from his belt, a beautifully engraved half moon blade that would easily cut through armor. His gauntlets were steel-backed with more engraving. Perhaps he was some sort of Lord, but if so where were his servants? Why was he traveling alone? Maybe he was in exile. It didn't help that she couldn't put his face and stature to a country. He had the attitude of a Cairhienen, but his tall build shouted Andorman. His clean shaven meant he was no Tairien, and he didn't carry an Illian accent. Who was this man? Mikhael was wondering the same things about his temporary companion. He didn't need to turn in his saddle to know she was staring at him. He could feel her eyes on his back. For an Aes Sedai, she really was quite beautiful. If she hadn't been a Tar Valon witch he might have asked her to dance at the next inn. But not an Aes Sedai, everyone knew an Aes Sedai would ensnare you without thought. Which made Mikhael wonder why he was taking her in, or even helping her. She was certainly savvy enough to do that all on her own. Upon arrival at Mikhael's campsite, they dismounted and began work in silence. Mikhael fished a small shovel out of his saddlebags and began work on the snow hut. Snow Sedai was hungry, and this man Mikhael had an attitude, so she helped herself to the bubbling pot of stew over the fire. Mikhael worked and watched her in silence. She really was pretty. She showed an inner spark that Mikhael could admire. Snow Sedai had a strong will, and was obviously not shy, the way she was spooning stew into a turtle shell bowl. After he was finished digging, with enough room inside for both of them, he sat down on a log next to her and began eating as well. "Did you prepare this, master swordsman?", Snow asked quietly. "Do you see anyone else around? Please, call me Mikhael. I am not a swordsman, and definently no master." Snow harrumphed loudly at that. "Well don't go demeaning yourself. Not many men can face a Mydraal and live to talk about it." Mikhael suddenly became very interested in his bowl of stew. "I would prefer not to talk about the Shadow. I suppose I know enough to keep myself alive. But I thank you for the compliment Aes Sedai." Snow's voice grew cold as she said, "If you will not be called master swordsman I will not be called Aes Sedai. Snow, or Snow Sedai is enough." Her voice lost it's chill as she quietly said, "The stew is very good." Mikhael finished his bowl and quickly got up, making sure everything was ready for the night. When he looked back to say it was time to bundle up for the night, Snow was attempting to fake sleep while up against the log. Mikhael frowned, he knew he shouldn't play her game, but he liked her. No! He thought to himself, she's a Tar Valon witch and if you want to keep your hide intact, you'll drop it. But, despite his thoughts, he was still content to carry her inside the small hut and wrap her in his spare cloak. They both fell asleep turned the opposite way from each other, but both smiling.  
  
Chapter Five  
  
As the first light crept through the trees, Mikhael beat away the snow piled at the entrance to the hut, and stood up outside, stretching. He couldn't have gotten more than a few hours of sleep, but he felt as if he had slept the whole night in a palace, he was completley rested. Then, the reason why came to him. She had used the bloody Power on him. Nothing else could do that to a man. It made his skin crawl, thinking about it but rather than wake her and incur the wrath of an Aes Sedai, he reined in his temper and set out to find breakfast. He didn't have to look far to find a big rabbit coming out of it's hole to nibble on a small brush pile. Returning to camp, he skinned the rabbit and put it on a spit over the fire. He placed potatoes on the spit as well, covered in spices. Snow rose from the hut shortly after, drawn by the smell of the food. "You seem to be quite a good cook, Mikhael. Where did you learn?" Mikhael thought in silence for a moment, turning the spit. Then he replied, "Well, I was the only boy in my family, and I learned from my sisters and mother. It's harsh living in the Waste, and you have to know how to survive." Snow held a serene look on her face but inside her head was spinning. So he was from the Aiel Waste. "That's what I hear about the Waste, that it's a very hard place to live. Of course, only peddlers and Tinkers are allowed through the Waste besides Aes Sedai. No sister has had reason to enter the Waste in many years. One would wonder what the Aiel are like, and how an Aielman such as yourself came to be living out in the lowlands alone." Mikhael squinted at her and asked, "Just how do you know I'm from the Waste? Perhaps I'm a bandit, or maybe a Lord. You might fool some people, but I know Aes Sedai are not omniscient." Then, trying to distract her, he said, "By the way, thank you for Healing my weariness. I was worried I would not even be able to mount my horse." He said it in a half mocking tone and Snow's Aes Sedai calm broke for just a moment. "Have some respect! I did you a favor! Don't expect it again woolhead! Next time, you can ask if you would like Healing." But Mikhael only chuckled and went back to turning the spit. "Snow Sedai, if you would like to know something, ask. And as for your Healing, I did appreciate it. I just would prefer if you didn't use the Power on me without consent." Snow sniffed and turned to sit looking away from Mikhael. Oh burn me, she thought. I'm acting like a girl when I need to act like Aes Sedai! But, somehow she felt as though she could trust Mikhael. It was more like intuition than a feeling though. "Mikhael," She began, turning around, "I'm sorry. You seem to know much about Aes Sedai, yet I know nothing of you." Mikhael sighed before saying, "Yes, well that's about as much as I know about you. That your Aes Sedai. As for me, well, you're the first person I've told this to in many years. My family was murdered when I was eight years old. It was done while I was asleep. If it wasn't for my sisters screams, they would have killed me too. I did something forbidden by the Aiel way. I took up a sword one of them had left lying against a rock and killed them. I was banished for my crimes and I've basically lived on my own ever since. That's the long and short of it." Snow was surprised at what Mikhael had to say, and the quickness in which he said it. Instead of trying to comfort old wounds, she said, "I have lived in Tar Valon my whole life. My mother is Aes Sedai, and I was brought into the White Tower for training at fourteen. This is my first time out on my own, on a mission. I have to find something in Tear, for the Amyrlin Seat. In case your wondering, I believe my mission was why I was attacked last night. It would just be too much to consider shadowspawn this far south of the Blight a coincidence." Mikhael nodded and continued to turn the spit. The rabbit was almost done. "Shadowspawn. Nasty buggers. I am on my way to Tear, on buisness. I can accompany you, if you wish." Snow was forced to try very hard to hide her smile. She wanted to tell Mikhael she would be delighted, but instead, she replied, "That is a kind offer, and I thank you again. Yes, I would appreciate the company." Mikhael smiled. "Actually, I was thinking that I could help you out. You seem to have a knack for attracting trouble, and it's been a long time since me and West had a good adventure." "West?" Snow asked questioningly. "Yeah, my best friend. Right buddy?" West snorted and stomped a hoove against the icy ground. Snow laughed and said, "How funny. My horse is called Wind. West and Wind. Now that's an interesting coincidence." Pulling the rabbit and potatoes away from the fire, Mikhael dispersed the portions evenly, giving Snow not a lick more than he received. She only shook her head with a slight smile before digging in. Mikhael thought he heard her mutter, "Stubborn."  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Two weeks later, Mikhael and Snow were still making their way to Tear, but they were almost three-quarters of the way. Mikhael was leading them cross country and it had cut the traveling distance by miles. It was rougher going than the road would have been, but so far there had been no more Trollocs or Mydraal, and it was the first time Snow had actually had fun since she was a child. Not just moments of laughter, or a quick joke, but actual fun. She was enjoying herself, and Mikhael made sure that she knew he enjoyed her company. Snow did notice, in return, she did things an Aes Sedai would generally never do. She mended clothing for him at night, made sure the horses were getting enough to eat, and she even cooked a few times. Mikhael always seemed to avoid her cooking though, after the first time she had prepared breakfast. Snow still couldn't figure out why. Finally, they came to a small village, named Duroni. Duroni wasn't on any maps, even though it was close to the road and a well known stop for travelers. With Snow aching for a room and a real bed, they stopped for the night in Duroni. The village only had two inns, and the better one was ironically named The Wanderer. Mikhael knew the innkeeper, Tomas, and they were given the best rooms, side by side. After Snow had gone up the stairs to unpack, Mikhael went into the common room to find a game of dice and a cup of ale. Tomas took him aside though, and spoke to him quietly in the corner. "Mikhael, there are some strange happenings lately. It's no longer safe to be out after dark. People have been dissapearing, and just the other night, a man was found literally torn apart! The local folk are getting scared, spreading rumors, and seeing as how your traveling with an Aes Sedai..." Mikhael gave the old man a speculative look. Tomas ran a hand through what was left of his hair and shrugged. "Ok, I'll see what can be done." Mikhael said reluctantly, and Tomas gave him a toothy grin. On his way up the stairs, Mikhael began to have the feeling he would get neither his dice game, nor his ale. Lost in thought, he forgot to knock and pushed open the door to Snow's room without thought. She whirled around turning beet red, naked from the waist up. "You woolhead! Out!" Mikhael's eyes grew wide as saucers while he stood frozen in place. Finally he managed to get out the word, "Oops." Snow channeled Air and the door slammed shut. A few minutes later, Snow opened the door to find a bashful looking Mikhael waiting outside. "Sorry." "Already forgiven. Just keep hold of your fool self and knock before walking in on a woman." Mikhael nodded and began explaining what had brought him up to her room in the first place. He had just finished speaking when they both heard screams coming from the street outside the inn. Rushing down the stairs, Mikhael made it outside first, into chaos. Trollocs were running down the street with torches and other elements of destruction, killing everyone in sight and burning houses and buildings. Mikhael unsheathed his sword and began flowing through the crowd of people and monsters. Snow was calling lightning down out of the sky to kill handfuls of Trollocs at a time, while flinging fireballs as well. Mikhael danced gracefully through hordes of the huge beasts, and where he danced, Trollocs screamed in pain and fell. Where Snow sent her lightnings and fire, Trollocs flew into the air and were incinerated. It was over in minutes, but the damage had already been done. Mothers kneeled clutching dead children, husbands, and friends. Men stood mourning over their wives, as their homes burned in the background. Mikhael did his best to organize a bucket train, putting out as many fires as possible, while Snow Healed as many people as she could manage, before she finally collapsed. Mikhael saw her fall, and ran to her side. Picking her up carefully, he carried her inside The Wanderer, which was miraculously undamaged. He lay her down in her room, and was getting up to go back outside when she murmured, "I wish I could save them all." Mikhael sighed and sat back down on the bed. "Yes but you can't. You've done what you could for those few that could be saved. I saw what you were doing for the children. One in particular will be able to walk tommorow, when by all rights he should have lost his legs. You did great Snow." She smiled, opening her eyes. "You looked like a hero out of a legend, cutting your way to victory. And helping put out those fires. They'll probably put up a bloody monument for you." Mikhael laughed. "Now, Aes Sedai shouldn't use such language. Behave yourself." Snow looked up into Mikhael's eyes as he began stroking her short curly hair. Suddenly, with a strength Mikhael didn't realize she still had, Snow grabbed him by the neck and pulled him towards her for a kiss. Slowly pulling away from her when she released him, he said, "We really shouldn't be doing this. I'm just a wanderer, and your Aes Sedai." Snow gave him her dirtiest look. "Oh burn you. You don't care if I'm the queen of Andor. You know it, and I know it so stop pretending." Mikhael grinned at that. "Well, ok, I guess I don't care. Do you think the villagers can manage what's left?" Snow pulled him towards her again, and she said, "Oh, I think they'll do just fine." The villagers did do just fine. They continued to clean up on through the night, celebrating a victory against the Shadow. Duroni hadn't seen a Trolloc since the times of Artur Hawkwing, but they rejoiced for the lives saved by the Aes Sedai and the man they assumed to be her Warder. Some were still shocked over the incident, but happiness reined supreme in the village of Duroni.  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
The next morning, Mikhael and Snow woke to Tomas pounding on the door. Mikhael quickly dressed and admitted him into the room. Tomas came in with goblets of wine, cooled near a local spring, and an assortment of foods. Cured ham, fresh fruits, freshwater fish, and honeycakes. Mikhael's eyes grew wide at the trays of food being carried in by serving girls. "Goodness Tomas, I know I asked for a big breakfast, but..." Tomas grinned up at him from behind his large spectacles. "Prepared by the village goodwives in thanks for your services last night. Those Trollocs would have killed us all if it wasn't for you and the good lady Aes Sedai." Snow sat in astonishment, but keeping her face a mask of Aes Sedai serenity. "Thank you for conveying the compliments and bringing all of this. But we were only doing our job. Perhaps some of these honeycakes and ham could go to the children. Please, I insist." Tomas smiled and gave her a flourishing bow. "As m'lady wishes." When Tomas had finally left, Snow and Mikhael began a slow process of eating through what was left, and packing away what could be saved for the journey ahead. In the middle of packing his saddlebags and buckling his sword belt, Mikhael noticed something strange in the back of his mind. He felt as if he could sense Snow's presence; He felt like he could point right to her even if she was a hundred miles away. He could also sense her contentment. Mikhael whirled around, facing her angrily. Snow felt his surprise through the bond and stopped him before he could say a word. "It just happened. I didn't even realize what I had done until it was finished. Please, I know I should have asked, but please forgive me, and be my Warder." Mikhael was stunned. After he caught his breath, "I would not have turned you astray, Snow. Of course I will be your Warder. But that means you will listen to me, and tell me everything you know." He finished with a rougish smile, patiently awaiting her reply. Snow took her time, quietly gathering the blankets up around her, for she was still in her shift. "I, I mean we're on our way to Tear to find an inn where the innkeeper is holding a ter'angreal." "A ter'angreal is a device that uses the One Power in a specific way. Unlike an angreal or sa'angreal, which magnifies the amount of True Source that someone can use, ter'angreal don't always require someone that can channel to be used. Some can be activated by anyone. The one we're looking for is one of those special cases. It can be used by anyone, and it is used to detect a man's channeling. The details are sketchy at best, so we need to find it quickly." Mikhael's face grew darker as Snow spoke. "So that's why we're being chased by shadowspawn. Well, if this needs doing, let's get it done. We leave for Tear in an hour, so get packed." Snow raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you giving me an order my Gaidin?" Mikhael gave her a toothy grin. "Get used to it. Just because we share a bed doesn't mean I won't do whatever's nessecary to help you in whatever way I see fit." With that said, Mikhael made his best leg and darted from the room, cloak flapping in his wake. Snow just shook her head with a smile and began dressing.  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Tear. The city was bright with torches and fireworks. Illuminators were launching nightflowers all over the city in celebration of a new Tairen High Lord. The earth shook with horse hooves, and armored men on the move. Over half of the Defenders of The Stone were on parade, making the streets difficult to pass at the least. Mikhael sat on a rooftop, looking out over Tear, trying to find the area described by Snow. He could feel her presence, below him. She was with the horses, making sure they weren't getting spooked by all of the noise. Snow was getting impatient. Mikhael had been looking from the rooftop for a long time. Suddenly, he saw the lone flag he had been looking for. It was a dark blue, with lightning bolts. The dark background color had made it difficult to find in the dark. Mikhael jumped up and ran without shaking a single tile on the roof. He leaped down to the street below, landing softly on the muddy ground. "I've found your landmark. There are no other flags like it. But it's going to take all night to get across the city with the bloody parades going on." Snow sighed loudly. She wasn't wearing her Great Serpent ring, and she had the hood of her cloak pulled up to hide her face. Aes Sedai were as welcome as anyone else in Tear so long as they didn't channel, but they would be watched, and Snow couldn't afford that right now. "Well we had better get a move on then. Maybe we can get out of the city within a couple of days and be on our way back to Tar Valon." Mikhael nodded. "Of course, the rooftops are very close together in Tear. It's a big city. If you were willing to leave the horses at a stable, perhaps we could be there in a half hour..." Snow thought for a moment. "What if we need to make a quick getaway?" Mikhael laughed. "We can always take the rooftops back. I have an excellent memory. Of course, horses can be replaced if need becomes extreme." Snow smiled. Without Mikhael's suggestion, they would have rode all night to find the right inn. In the growing darkness, she watched his smile, and confident posture. Mikhael kept his eyes on her beautiful figure. Snow really was very beautiful. In her high necked Tairen gown, made of silk, and long flowing cloak, she looked like a queen. Mikhael stepped towards her, pulling down the hood of her cloak. Snow smiled at him. "You shouldn't do that. I don't want to be watched by the Defenders. We're on a secret mission, remember?" He pulled her towards him and they kissed. When she finally pulled away, he said, "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I love you Snow." Her smile grew brighter. "I love you too."  
  
* * * *  
  
A little while later, while the moon was high in the sky, Snow and Mikhael stood outside of the Port in The Storm. The old inn was obviously very busy, and well kept. Probably visited by as many locals as travelers. They walked in the door, hoods up, looking for the innkeeper. Mikhael stopped a maid and asked her for the innkeeper, and they were directed to the kitchens. The inn was definently old, but there was music and even a gleeman in the common room. Spices and the smell of cooking fish dominated the smell of wine and ale, but that was present too. In the kitchens, they found the innkeeper, Reene Figaro, yelling at the cook. "NO, NO, NO, I told you, NO SILVERPIKE! Get that off the grill and get something worth eating made! It's a busy evening and if you want your pay you'll buck up and do as your told!" Reene was a big woman, being nearly as round as she was tall, and she carried a cudgel on her belt, ready to break up any fights that arose. Although there weren't many fights in her inn. Word got around after a few grown men had gotten their heads cracked with that cudgel. She was not a nervous woman, but at the sight of Mikhael and Snow, she flinched and began to fidget before motioning them outside the door. In the darkness of the hallway, she spoke quietly. "You are the Aes Sedai sent for the ter'angreal, yes?" Snow nodded. "Yes. I am Snow de'Heron, and this is my Warder Mikhael. We need that ter'angreal as quickly as you can arrange. It has to get back to the White Tower before agents of the Dark One find it." Reene flinched at mention of the Dark One. "I have it below, in the basement. But there was a Mydraal last night! Here, in my inn! It threatened me, saying it would cut off my legs if I didn't give it the ter'angreal. I told it I no longer had it, and it seemed to believe me." Mikhael's back went rigid. Snow squeezed his arm. She spoke quietly back to the innkeeper. "It will be all right, I promise. But you must give it to me now, and tell me everything you know." Reene nodded her head vigorously and she quickly walked away into the darkness, leaving Mikhael and Snow standing in silence. They shared a quick glance and at Snow's slight nod, Mikhael took up the rear, ready to protect her if anything happened. Reene led them through snaking hallways that revealed just how large the inn was. It was so large, that it could have reasonably started out life as a mansion for a Lord or Lady. When they began descending a narrow column of stone stairs, Reene began chattering about the ter'angreal. "I discovered it myself just over a month ago. It was while I was supervising some men who were delivering Taraboner brandy, straight from Tanchico. It's a small stone statue of a bearded man holding a compass. It's been in the family for years, just a keepsake. But I knew it for Heartstone the moment I saw it, so I kept it. Anyway, the men were delivering the brandy into my cellar when I noticed the little man's compass was lighting up! I thought, well, how odd. I looked, and one of the men who was carrying barrels of brandy, he didn't seem to strain under the weight, and he was carrying the barrels all by himself. That's when I saw the compass needle was staying pointed directly at him." They got to the bottom of the stairs and Mikhael held a torch while Reene fumbled for the brass key in her blouse. She unlocked the door, and they went into the dim cellar. Snow immediately channeled to light all of the torches around the room. Reene looked surprised, but continued speaking. "I tell you, I was frightned to death. I just kind of added it all up and came to my own conclusions. I've seen a man that can channel before. My cousin was hanged by his own friends when they learned he could touch the True Source. I am sorry Aes Sedai, if I was simply mistaken, but I do not believe I was." Snow's face remained calm as she asked Reene to please bring out the ter'angreal. Reene moved a large wooden crate away, and opened an iron grating in the floor. She pulled a cloth wrapped statue from the shadows within. Reene handed it to Snow and she began examining it. The statue was about a foot tall, with the man and compass looking as described by the innkeeper. It was indeed Heartstone, which was a rarity even among things such as ter'angreal. Heartstone, or cuendillar, was unbreakable. Even the use of the One Power would only make it stronger. Snow nodded to herself satisfactorily, and handed it to Mikhael. Before taking it, Mikhael asked, "Why? It's yours for the time being." Snow smiled slightly at him. "Because you can keep it hidden, and no one will expect you to carry it for me." Mikhael frowned, but he took the statue from her hands. He tucked it behind his belt, underneath his cloak. They both turned to Reene. Snow did the talking though. "Thank you Reene. You have been very brave and risked much. The White Tower will not forget you, nor I. I will see that you are properly rewarded for your courage and savvy. May the blessings of the Light be upon you."  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
"Ok, here's how it's going to work. Your going to jump down and slice the ropes. Then you'll send Wind out of the stable, where I will be waiting. You take West and herd them towards me, and I'll roast them like feast day pigs." Mikhael didn't like the plan, but he wasn't liking what he saw in the stable below either. Two Mydraal were standing in the stable, cloaks unmoving, waiting for their next victims. The stablemaster was lying in a bloody heap on a haystack. Snow and Mikhael needed to retrieve their horses and leave, so Mikhael guessed it was the best plan. He was just going to modify it a bit. "Alright Snow, have it your way. But go now. I'll wait until your outside the doors." She got up silently and pulled up her skirts as she ran down the wooden stairs. Mikhael waited until she was at the bottom and rounding the corner to make for the door. Then he leaped. Two stories. He came down on top of the first Mydraal, burying his axe in the back of it's head, while the knife he had thrown on the way down stuck out from the second Mydraal's shoulder. The first collapsed in a heap, breaking Mikhael's fall. He wasted no time, jumping up from the ground and unsheathing his sword. The Mydraal was easy work without use of it's sword arm. Mikhael was glad he had changed the plan when he opened the door to find Snow throwing fireballs at a third Mydraal on horseback. Mikhael's arrow caught it right below the sternum, stunning it. Snow took advantage of it's temporary slowdown to throw down a lightning bolt on top of it. She turned and ran for Wind, who was already saddled and waiting. Mikhael ran with her, leaping into West's saddle. "Thanks for ignoring what I said!" She shouted back to him. Mikhael frowned. "No really! I wasn't expecting another one!" They rode away as quickly as they could, taking back alleys and avoiding the Defenders of The Stone. The Stone of Tear itself loomed in the distance. Not really more than a huge dome, The Stone was Power made, and no army had ever gotten past the gates. Tairens loved to make the claim that The Stone was invincible. But none of that mattered right then, it was getting out of the city that was the concern. As they rode around yet another street corner, Snow and Mikhael finally saw an outer gate, leading outside the city walls. They galloped for the entrance and made it just as a portion of the parade made their way onto the street. They rode away, never looking back upon the city of Tear.  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
Mikhael looked at Snow and smiled. They were more than three weeks away from Tear, and almost back to Tar Valon. They were currently riding over the plains, with Dragonmount rearing up into the sky and the city of Tar Valon only a speck of white in the distance. Snow smiled back at Mikhael. It was easy for her to show emotions in front of him. She had never been that way with anyone else. They were stopped near a small stream, with the horses enjoying the cool water. The ter'angreal was nestled in Mikhael's saddle bags and Snow didn't have a care in the world. "Well, we're almost there. Tar Valon." Mikhael said, motioning towards the city. "Yes, and I hope your not getting cold feet?" Snow said with a grin. "Never. I mean, meeting the Amrylin Seat is kind of intimidating, but nothing Mikhael Hanlon the Great can't handle!" He puffed out his chest and she poked him in the ribs, laughing all the while. Then she sobered up and frowned. "Don't forget. This won't be easy. Now we have a man that can channel on the loose and we're going to have to find him." Mikhael frowned at that too. "Perhaps you can be exempted from that search. You got the ter'angreal, maybe that'll be enough for the bloody Amrylin." Snow took Mikhael's head in her hands and forced him to look in her eyes. "I'm the one that has begun this. I can't let this man hurt anyone, I would feel responsible. Besides, I'd love to hear you call her the bloody Amrylin in her presence." She finished with a smile. Mikhael smiled too. But inside he was worried. Worried for Snow, for himself, and anyone else that got near this man. Whoever the fellow was, he ought to just get it over with and turn himself in to the White Tower. But he couldn't worry for long. Not after he began thinking about Snow. He was going to ask her to marry him. It was fast, yes, but they were in love, and he knew she would say yes. It was just a matter of finding the right moment. But until then, he would wait. He could wait forever for her. Snow had given him a new life, a better life, with her and he would never be able to repay that debt. But he could protect her, and he would. Snow channeled suddenly, moving her hand over the bare ground. She channeled Air, Water, Earth, and Spirit, to create flowers that sprang from the dirt. Mikhael grinned and picked them from the ground. He handed her the flowers; Snow faked a blush and kissed him. So they lay there in the grass, sharing their moment, while the world went on around them, and the Wheel continued to turn.  
  
Afterward  
  
Glett Ambrose stood inside the Sun Palace, in Cairhien, smiling. His supervisor wasn't watching over him with his hawk like eyes, so Glett was taking the time to gaze out a palace window. They had been delivering dyes from Tarabon to the Palace. Glett was not a tall man, but muscular. He was not particularly handsome either, but he had a certain charm that gave him luck with women. But Glett was not like other men. In fact, most men would run in fear if they knew his secret. Glett Ambrose could channel the One Power. He could touch saidin. And now it was time to make his move. He had waited long enough. It was time to take the Sun Throne, and begin his takeover of the entire world. By force, bloody force if necessary and not even the entire White Tower would stop him... 


End file.
